Job Description

Position Title: Senior Advisor, Safeguarding, Protection and Community Engagement
Employee Type: Full-Time Regular
Supervisor Title: Deputy Executive Director, Head Start
Division:                   Head Start               

The Role
The Senior Safeguarding Advisor, Protection and Community Engagement, serves as a strategic leader and subject matter expert for safeguarding, protection, safety, and community engagement across Save the Children’s Head Start programs. This role is responsible for providing high-level technical assistance, managing complex safeguarding concerns, and leading and supporting sensitive investigations involving staff, consultants, volunteers, or partners. The Senior Advisor will collaborate closely with Head Start and agency leadership, including the National Safeguarding Team, to cultivate a culture of safety and accountability. This position reports to the Deputy Executive Director, Head Start, with a dotted line to the Managing Director, Safeguarding (Save the Children US). 
 

Leadership & Strategy (25%) 

• Serve as a thought leader and strategic partner to Head Start leadership and the National Safeguarding Team on safeguarding and protection across the portfolio. 
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of safeguarding strategies, frameworks, and tools tailored to the Head Start context. 
• Provide supervision, coaching, and mentorship to assigned safeguarding advisors across programs. 
• Represent Head Start in agency-wide safeguarding initiatives, learning exchanges, and cross-functional workgroups. 
• Analyze trends from incident data and recommend system-wide responses and policy improvements. 

Investigations & Incident Response (30%) 

• Lead or support safeguarding-related investigations in collaboration with the National Safeguarding Team and HR, ensuring a trauma-informed, survivor-centered, and legally compliant approach. 
• Oversee the intake, triage, documentation, and case management of safeguarding concerns, ensuring timely resolution and thorough follow-up. 
• Prepare investigation reports with clear findings, recommendations, and risk mitigation actions. 
• Act as liaison with internal stakeholders (e.g., HR, Legal, Compliance, EthicsPoint) and external agencies, as appropriate. 
• Maintain high standards of confidentiality and integrity throughout all investigations and reporting processes. 
• Safeguarding & Child Protection Technical Support (25%) 
• Provide high-level technical guidance to ensure adherence to SCUS Safeguarding Policies and Head Start’s Child Safeguarding Policy Notebook. 
• Lead risk assessments across departments and develop action plans for mitigation. 
• Support contextualization and delivery of safeguarding and child protection training to program leaders, staff, policy councils, and families. 
• Promote and monitor the use of active supervision, positive guidance, and trauma-informed care practices. 
• Support the development of child-friendly complaint and feedback mechanisms. 

Community Engagement & Partnerships (10%) 

• Strengthen community-level partnerships to enhance local prevention and response systems related to child protection and family well-being. 
• Provide strategic oversight of outreach initiatives and community-based safeguarding education campaigns. 
• Advise on the integration of trauma-informed, family-centered practices in community engagement strategies. 

Safety & Security Oversight (10%) 

• Guide implementation of safety and security policies across Head Start sites in alignment with OHS and SCUS protocols. 
• Analyze safety incidents and provide recommendations to strengthen systems and prevent future occurrences. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, plus a minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in safeguarding, child protection, or related field. 
• At least 3 years leading or supporting safeguarding investigations, including case management, reporting, and follow-up. 
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding standards (including PSEA), trauma-informed approaches, and child protection systems. 
• Demonstrated leadership experience with a track record of managing cross-functional teams or initiatives. 
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills, with experience working across levels of authority. 
• Strong writing skills, with the ability to draft clear, concise reports and action plans. 
• Professional proficiency in spoken and written English. 
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practice. 

This position may require the incumbent to operate a motor vehicle to fulfill certain essential functions of the job.  The incumbent should maintain a valid driver’s license and remain in compliance with any Save the Children policies pertaining to the safe operation of motor vehicles.  

Preferred Qualifications 

• Advanced degree in Social Work, Child Development, Law, Public Health, or related field. 
• Certification or formal training in safeguarding investigations or case management. 
• Experience in federally funded early childhood education programs (e.g., Head Start). 
• Knowledge of local and state-level child welfare and protection systems. 

Compensation

Save the Children is offering the following salary ranges for this position, dependent on candidate location:

Geo 1 - NY Metro, DC, and other locations with labor costs significantly above national average: Target Salary for this position is $108,800 – $121,600 base salary  

Geo 2 - Locations around the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $98,600 – $110,200 base salary  

Geo 3 - Locations significantly below the US National Labor Cost Average: Target Salary for this position is $88,400 – $98,800 base salary  

The salary ranges listed above are for US based candidates. For candidates located outside of the US, salary ranges will be based on the salary scales of the local employer of record. Actual base salary may vary based on, but not limited to, relevant experience, base salary of internal peers, business sector, and geographic location (more information on job structure is available here).

About Us

We are looking to build a diverse, equitable and inclusive team at Save the Children. We offer a range of outstanding benefits to support this goal:

Flexible schedules and time off: Flexible schedules, generous PTO, 11 paid holidays plus 2 floating holidays and hybrid working opportunities

Health: Competitive health care, dental and vision coverage for you and your family

Family: A variety of paid leaves: caregiver, parental/adoption, critical child illness and fertility benefits

Employee Rewards Program: Annual merit increases and/or additional incentives for eligible employees

Retirement: A retirement savings plan with employer contributions (after one year)

Wellness: 15 safety and wellness days annually (if hired on or after July 1, safety and wellness days prorated to 8 days), mental health benefits and support through Calm and company-hosted events

Employee Assistance Program: free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services

Learning & Growth: Access to internal and external learning & development opportunities and mentorships

Save the Children is committed to conducting its programs and operations in a manner that is safe for the children it serves and helping protect the children with whom we are in contact. All Save the Children representatives are explicitly prohibited from engaging in any activity that may result in any kind of child abuse.

Save the Children is committed to minimizing safety and security risks for our valued employees, ensuring all are given training, support and information to reduce their risk exposure while maximizing the impact of our programs for children and families. Our shared duty, both agency and individual, is to seek and maintain safe working conditions for all.

If you require disability assistance with the application or recruitment process, please submit a request to applicantsupport@savechildren.org.